Hook swam toward the pirate boat in the growing darkness.
Starkey held out the lantern to guide him.
Meanwhile, Wendy and Peter were still in the water listening closely to what was happening.
Hook reached the boat and climbed on board.
"Captain, is everything okay?" Smee asked timidly.
All Hook could do was let out a sigh.
"What's up, Captain?" Smee asked again.
Finally the captain spoke. "The game is over.
Those boys have found a mother to help them." He sighed again.
Wendy felt very proud.
"Oh, what an evil day!" cried Starkey.
"How dreadful! But what's a mother?" asked Smee.
Wendy was so shocked that she gave out a little yell.
Peter had to pull her under the water to keep her quiet.
Hook heard the noise and said, "What's that?"
"Nothing but the birds," answered Starkey, raising the lantern.
They could see a nest floating on the lagoon. A big bird sat on top of it.
"See?" said Hook to Smee, pointing to the bird.
"That is a mother. That nest has fallen into the water.
But does the mother desert her eggs?
No! She will sit on them until they hatch.
Then they will become her children.
She protects them from all dangers, like falling into the water or being eaten up by fish."
Hook's description made the pirates wipe tears from their eyes.
As they watched the mother bird protecting her young, Smee suddenly had an idea.
"Captain," said Smee, "maybe we could kidnap the Lost Boys' new mother and make her our mother instead."
"What a great idea!" cried Hook.
"We will seize the children and carry them to our ship.
We will make the boys walk the plank.
Then the girl will become our mother!"
"Never!" cried Wendy. Peter had to push her under the water again.
"What was that?" said Hook, trying to listen in the dark.
But everything was quiet now.
Then the captain and his pirates shook hands and hook.
They all swore to the plan.
"Yes, a girl and a mother is just what we need," said Smee, as if he knew all about mothers now.
Suddenly, Captain Hook remembered another girl—Tiger Lily.
"Where is the Indian princess?" he demanded.
"We let her go, just like you told us," said Starkey.
"You let her go?" screamed Hook.
"It was your order. You told us to let her go," said Smee.
"That's ridiculous! I gave no such order."
Realizing his pirates had been tricked, Hook turned back to the voice he had heard in the dark lagoon.
He yelled out, "Do you hear me?"
Though he knew he shouldn't answer, Peter couldn't stop himself.
"I hear you!" he called back, imitating Hook's voice once again.
"Who are you, stranger?" Hook demanded.
Peter yelled back, "I am Captain James Hook of the Jolly Roger."
"You are not!" exclaimed Hook. "If you are Hook, who am I?"
"A codfish!" replied the voice.
"A codfish?" said Hook, confused.
Smee and Starkey drew back from their captain.
"Our captain is a codfish? How embarrassing," they said.
Humiliated, Captain Hook decided to challenge the voice.
"Have you got another name?" he called.
Peter could never resist a good game, so he answered, "Yes, I have."
"Is it vegetable?" asked Hook.
"No," Peter answered.
"Mineral?"
"No."
"Animal?"
"Yes."
"A man?" asked Hook.
"Certainly not!" cried Peter, annoyed.
"A boy?"
"Yes, yes."
"An ordinary boy?"
"No! A very special boy," answered Peter, losing himself in the fun of the game.
"Hmm," said Hook, pretending to be puzzled.
"Can't you guess?" cried Peter. "Or do you give up?"
"Yes," said Hook eagerly. "I give up."
"I'm Peter Pan!" shouted Peter with great pride.
"Now we have him!" Hook cried gleefully.
"Into the water, Smee and Starkey. Take him, dead or alive."
Hook leapt back into the water.